The India Satellite: What was new?

[Guest guest]

The India Satellite: What was new?

AIDS2002 Conference

Barcelona, July 7-12, 2002

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India, with the second biggest number of HIV/AIDS cases, is frantic in

the

search for new ideas. Did the India Satellite live up to these

expectations of the participants who had filled the hall and the

corridor

too?

After a short introduction by Dr Subhashree Raghavan, Moderator of

Solidarity Against HIV Infection in India (SAATHI), , Head

of

UNAIDS-India, made a presentation on the HIV/AIDS situation in India,

which mentioned the challenges and the solutions that may work in

changing

the present trends.

Mention of Thailand and the progress made by the two countries,

brought

out the differences between them. A total absence of bilateral agencies

in

the northern and northwest part of India was also highlighted. The

challenges and methods to overcome these were detailed.

One of the questions that was put to was why the Global Fund to

Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria had given very little money to

India.

His response was that Global Fund accountability was presently not

there.

With more transparency there is hope for a better allocation.

In the next few presentations speakers emphasised the points already

covered by , or those that have been heard at previous

conferences

or meetings.

Prohibitive cost was the reason given out for no ARV program for the

PHAs.

However the Government would promote the units producing ARV and

also

reduce prices of ARVs. This evoked protests from the Positive groups

who

were of the opinion that care was one arm of prevention and one could

not

implement prevention programs as stand-alone ones.

This brought out a comment from Shyamala Natraj that though there

was a

strong focus on prevention, there was not even sufficient availability

or

quality of condoms.

Abraham Kurien, wearing the clothes of departed Ashok Pillai, who died

with a CD4 count of 50, gave a tribute to his friend. Never afraid to

tell

the truth, Ashok Pillai had been angry at the system for its inaction.

An

emotional plea for the treatment cause was falling on deaf ears.

Jayasudha's eulogy was presented by her friend Kausalya, while Vivek

Anand

of Hamsafar presented that of Vasanthy. These had the same refrain of

access to care as the main hurdle.

Key Correspondent

Health & Development Networks

AIDS2002 Conference

Email: correspondents@...

Web: http://www.hdnet.org

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